


Winter

by Shadow_Belle



Category: Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: F/M, late night challenge prompt winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-07
Updated: 2011-11-07
Packaged: 2017-10-25 19:08:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/273735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadow_Belle/pseuds/Shadow_Belle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Late night challenge prompt is winter. Damon's thoughts about Elena.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Winter

When he saw here there, spread out across her bed in a vignette of suffering, Damon knew if he touched her it would change him irrevocably.

If he opened his arms to her and she came to him, put her pale streaked cheek on his shoulder and clung to him for comfort, for safety, all that made him Damon Salvatore would crumble away like ash.

It was different if he pulled her to him, dragged her against his chest and pet her hair, crooned nonsensical things while she spilled her pain in bright tears—she would be managed in her grief, go where he led. For all that had passed between them, she trusted him.

No, if she came to him because she wanted him, needed him, not just any shoulder or any warm embrace it would be the first step into a brief winter. The winter of breath, of dark skies and storms to emerge into the light of Elena’s love. But the spring would be even shorter and the summer, only a stunted flash of light. For what is the span of a human lifetime to a vampire?

If she reached for him, the next winter that came would be hers and he could no more let her go alone into that soft twilight than he could stop loving her if she didn’t.

Her fingers were desperate alabaster, clawing at his arms, at the sleeves of his shirt and she pulled her body to his, tucking herself against his chest like a child afraid of the dark.

He sat there for a long moment, not moving, waiting for her to decide this wasn’t what she wanted. She didn’t need his comfort, his arms, his kiss or his love. She didn’t want him.

She turned her face up to his and he was struck by the thought he’d never seen a woman who wore her grief more beautifully than Elena. She tilted her swollen lips toward his and as his mouth descended, he knew his winter had passed long ago and the spring wasn’t in her love for him, but his for her.


End file.
